


A Trip to the Market

by OlkarianPrincess



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Canon Compliant, Cute, F/M, Fluff, Pining, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, pining shiro
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-15
Updated: 2018-02-15
Packaged: 2019-03-18 20:12:42
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,046
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13688976
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/OlkarianPrincess/pseuds/OlkarianPrincess
Summary: Shiro decides to go to the market to get Pidge a gift after Matt tells him that it's Valentine's Day on Earth.





	A Trip to the Market

**Author's Note:**

  * For [GalacticSoul](https://archiveofourown.org/users/GalacticSoul/gifts).



> I HOPE YOU LIKE IT

The cool wind hit his face. It was refreshing. This planet’s climate was pleasant, unlike those of the planets they’d visited before. The chilly air played against his skin, only cold enough to cause slight goosebumps to display themselves on his arms, but no colder. Shiro took a deep breath and let the taste of the crisp air remind him of home, of the simpler times before Voltron was formed. Before the Galra. Before Katie.

He shook his head - a gesture meant only for self-comfort, for there was not a soul around. He realized that it may have been foolish, but he regretted nothing. After all, Voltron had brought him a family...and her. With that thought, his mind returned to the matter that drew him to the castle’s balcony. A single, offhanded comment had sent his heart into a flurry and caused his skin to light on fire. He was sure Matt hadn’t intended such a reaction - his friend was only making conversation - but Shiro had to come up with some excuse and leave the room quickly.

“Hey guess what I realized,” Matt had said, his head buried in one of the castle’s panels.

“What?” Shiro handed him an Altean tool that looked like a fork but, as both Katie and Matt had assured him on multiple occasions, was certainly not.

“On Earth, tomorrow is Valentine’s. You know, I’ve never had a Valentine.”

The appropriate response would’ve been “me neither,” but instead it was something along the lines of “is that the Black Lion I hear calling me?” as Shiro fled the room, tripping over his feet (and Matt’s chaotic arrangement of tools and spare parts) and headed to the balcony to clear his head. He usually made a point to keep his cool composure, thereby setting an example for the paladins (mainly Lance) and standing as the figurehead of the team. He felt like he had to. But Matt’s comment had unintentionally sent an image to his mind of Pidge giving him a candy heart or some silly mushy thing that he’d adore.

Shiro sighed. If they were on Earth, and if Matt wouldn’t murder him in his sleep upon finding out, Shiro would  _ maybe _ stand a chance at  _ possibly _ confessing his love for the beautiful Katie Holt, the smartest person he’d ever met and a true hero if he’d ever seen one. But that wasn’t the reality that he lived in. Still....Shiro looked out into the sunrise.

_ Matt stayed up to late, _ he noted, realizing that their conversation had taken place at an unholy hour. Something Coran had said the day before came to his mind. The planet they were on, Amasian, had a “charming little market just across the mountain range.” Allura had insisted that the paladins stay in the castle and train but Shiro thought that maybe, just maybe, this one time he could request leave and perhaps visit the market. A spark lit in his heart as he envisioned wandering the streets and stumbling into a shop, finding a small token that reminded him of Katie, and bringing it back to her. “Some vendor gave it to me and I thought you’d like it,” he’d play it off. 

Shiro tapped his fingers on the railings of the balcony, making a decision to commit. He knew that Katie didn’t feel the same way in return, but he enjoyed the thought of making her happy. Plus, there was no reason he  _ had _ to get her a gift, or even give it to her. He only had to do it if it felt right. He could always back out. And he needed a little break anyway...

Yet, things never seemed to go quite according to plan when it came to Shiro’s life. Sure, he’d been prepared to argue with Allura about a day off - he even contemplated just leaving, but he’d disappeared one too many times before - and was pleasantly surprised when she clasped her hands together in delight and informed him that it was a great idea. That part went smoothly. But not everything went so nicely, which is how Shiro ended up at the entrance to the market standing next to Katie Holt, the very woman he was pining over.

Katie squinted at the blue translucent tablet Coran had given her.

“I don’t know what half these things are,” she laughed, “why didn’t he just come here himself.”

Shiro laughed nervously and rubbed the back of his neck, “Who knows....You ready?”

Katie gave him a toothly grin and nodded, “Let’s go!”

Shiro tried not to jump when she suddenly grabbed his wrist and began dragging him through the gate. He didn’t pull her hand off him though. Her palm was cold...it was nice.

They made their way directly to the center of the market and somehow ended up in front of a booth that sold a sort of baked goodie akin to a fried snickers bar. Shiro shook his head, realizing just what sort of sugary monstrosity it was, but the expression on Katie’s face caught his eye. She stared at the yellow treat with wide eyes, practically bouncing on the tips of her toes. When she realized Shiro was staring at her, her face flushed pink.

“It just looks good,” she smiled.

“Let’s try some then.”

They paid and went to sit by the fountain that sat in the center of the square. Happily munching on their treats which were, as Shiro had predicted, way too sweet, they let the life of the market flow around them. It gave Shiro a few moments to think. Katie seemed more relaxed than she had been in a while, which was great. He’d hated seeing what her family’s disappearance was doing to her. Hours into the night, time after time, he’d find her pouring over data in an attempt to locate her brother. She clinged so hard onto the idea of his survival, even when Shiro was uncertain of it himself...and then she actually found him. She really was truly amazing. A smile slipped onto Shiro’s face as he reflected on the journey she’d gone to.

“Are you okay?”

Shiro’s train of thought broke as he faced Katie’s concerned expression.

“Yeah, why?”

“I don’t know. You seem happier. Here, I mean. Happier than you have been. But then your face got a serious expression on it and I got worried.”

“Yeah, I’m fine,” Shiro curved his lips into a smile. “And happier, eh? Maybe it’s all this sugar.”

Acting purely on impulse, he pressed his fried candy stick right into Katie’s nose.

“Hey!” she fought back, but it was in vain. Shiro had managed to get a line of chocolate across her face. But the battle wasn’t over. She retaliated, lunging forward and stealing the sugary stick right out of Shiro’s hand.

“Whoa, whoa, hold on!” Shiro yelled, but it was too late. Katie’s motion knocked him off balance and sent the pair tumbling towards the ground. A twist of his hips was all he could manage, but the effort made matters worse. Before he could do anything else, the pair found themselves splashing right into the fountain. Shiro turned immediately to see if Katie was alright, but was met with boisterous laughter.

“That-that was- hahahah,” she grabbed onto Shiro’s bicep as if that would somehow calm her laughter. He pretended to not be hyper aware of her touch on him.

“I take it you’re alright,” he laughed. “That was something.”

“Oh boy, it was. We’re, well we’re going to need some new clothes.”

Shiro glanced down at their soaked garbs, “Yeah, you’re right.”

They stopped by a shop with colorful cloth in the window and found themselves something decent to wear. Katie suppressed her laughter as she handed Shiro the only shirt in a size that came close to fitting him (while the native aliens of this planet possesed the general shape of humans, the were much smaller). He rolled his eyes and bought it, the skin tight purple piece being his only option. Katie, on the other hand, selected a beautiful dark green dress with fake flowers dotted around the skirt. Shiro couldn’t stop staring when she walked out of the changing room.

“Where next?” she asked, bringing Shiro out of his trance.

“Um, let’s get the rest of the items on Coran’s list,” he suggested.

“Sounds good to me.”

They visited various shops, picking up items that Shiro’d never even heard before, let alone know how to use. Katie had though, or at least she acted like she had.

“It’s not top of the line,” she said, leaning against the counter of one particular shop that sold a wide variety of things. She checked her nails, feigning disinterest.

“It’s the best you can find around these parts!” the merchant insisted.

“I don’t know, I found a similar model just a few places down. Better price too. I like the color on this one better but between you and me, who will even see it?” she began pulling away from the counter.

“Alright, alright! What price do you want it for?” the merchant caved.

“That’s more like it.”

Shiro grinned as he listened to the conversation, his back turned to the individuals. He took his opportunity to explore the shop a little more. In the back, a particularly interesting set of merchandise caught his eye. Various carvings, likely made by a local craftsman, dotted several shelves. A few of them looked quite familiar - he recognized them as the lions of Voltron. Grinning, he picked up the carving of the Green Lion and made a mental note to come back and get it later.

Following a few more visits into shops, Shiro found himself side by side with a grinning Katie.

“Satisfied, conning these good people out of their merchandise?” Shiro teased.

“I wouldn’t call it a con. Besides, it’s not like I went in solo.”

Shiro turned to the short woman and raised a brow.

“You know,” she poked his bicep, “I had some muscle to back me up.”

His face flushed red, “Ah, yeah, I see...”

“Hey, let’s go check out that music,” Katie snapped her head to her right, quickly changing the conversation.

“Okay, sure,” he trailed after her.

They quickly found the source of the happy tune. A live band had set up shop in the center of the market while they were wandering about, and a crowd of aliens were dancing to the music. The pair stood at the edge of the crowd, entranced by the graceful twists and turns of the people.

“You should ask her to dance,” an old man said in a fake whisper to Shiro.

“I, uh,” once again he found himself flustered, “Pidge?”

Katie looked down at her feet, “If you want to. No one’s forcing you.”

He gently grabbed her hand, “May I have this dance.”

“Absolutely.”

They passed the rest of the day in movement, following along with the steps of the dance and grinning at each other the whole time. They were so exhausted by the time the sun began to set that Shiro almost forgot to get the lion for Katie. Almost.

“You forget anything else?” she teased as she handed him a drink. She’d went off to get them something for the trip back to the castle.

“Nope, just this lotion Lance asked for,” Shiro raised the bag that actually held the lion.

“Are you sure?” she pressed, standing on her tiptoes.

“Yeah, I’m sure Pidge. Quit teasing me,” he shook his head.

“You idiot,” she smacked his arm. “I just meant,” she turned to lead the way out of the market but changed her mind. Turning around, she ran at him suddenly and jumped, wrapping her hands around his neck. “You forgot this,” she planted a kiss on his cheek. “Thanks for the date.”

Before Shiro had a chance to comprehend what had just happened, she dropped down and began to walk off.

“Coming?”

Shiro’s brain rebooted itself and began working again.

“Yeah.”

Later that night, he spotted an object sitting on his bed: a carved figure of a black lion.

_ I guess I should give her the present after all. _

He did, and it was the best decision he’d ever made.


End file.
